St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-31
coz. Moo0EY,s SPORTING BLOOD

1t Cost the Pride OF aradise Park
S25 TO Find Out.
New York Sun.
EX-Assemblyman Jimmy Oliver rested
his rotund and prosperous personality
against the polished bar of the Hoffman
house art gallery the other night and was
placidly slipping extra dry while studying
the beauties of SO, 900 painting, when
eX-Alderman Jim Mooney. the solid con-
tractor of the Twenty-third ward, sauntered
in in his $500 fur-lined overcoat and
speedily joined the Pride of Paradise Park
in the cOngenial pastime of breaking a
bottle. Contractor Mooney wore a smile
that was in perfect keeping with his costly
overcoat and he kept the wine flowing in
fraternal rivalry with the jocose and capa-
cous -assemblyman.
Suddenly Mr.. Oliver. holding a glass be-
tween his left optic and the tinted electric
chandelier, recalled. as if by inspiration, the
occasion when he was an assemblyman, and
paralyZed the bartender of the Delavan
house by asking him to change 81 600
greenback that came fresh from the
treasury. The Pride of Paradise Park
smiled as he recalled the incident, and he
cheerily exclaimed:
''See here. Jim. I'll bet you $25 that you
haven't got $500 with you.''
You don't say So" cried the man who
is the living picture of George Augustus
Sala- ''I'l have to go you once"
The eX-assembIyman gasped, and study
ing the aspect of the rich contractors face
for some time without any apparent salts
faction. slowly began a still huut in his
clothes for S25. In the course of time he
tislled up odd bills and lots of silver, and
finally made little pile OF cash on the bar
counter, the conglomerated fragments of
which aggregated just S25.
''I'll draw you a check for $780, Mr.
Mooney remarked, with seeming uneasi-
ness, land rake III your dust"
oh, no you won't" cried the ex-legis-
lator. with revival of enthusiasm. My
bet is for cash. l bet you haven't $500 in
money-Uncle Sans money. Checks don't
go. my boy"
Contractor Mooney pleaded that he
wanted the wager left to a referee, but his
friend of the Fourth ward was obdurate.
and finally exclaimed with exultation:
1--WE caught you at last, Jim. / will
compromise by taking check for that So. -
Well" retorted Contractor Mooney, in
a voice that seemed laden with emotion.
IF you won't listen TO reason with an old
lilCilus L II luf W yOu lohC Iilt CildllCCS
the same as any stranger who wants to
make BETS"
He threw open his gorgeous overcoat as
he spoke, and diving away down deep in
his right trousers pocket, extracted with
great difficulty roll that was as big as the
clinched fist of the ex-assemblyman, which
lay upon the bar.
This is very painful" the rudy ex-
alderman said SADLY as he ran his fingers
over seven $500 bills; ''tery painful indeed
Jimmy. But here's the greenback that
does the business"
He fshed out a crisp new $500 bill from
the interior of the roll and then raked in
the ducats of his adversary.
The little ex-assemblyman saw two
$1,000 bills Nesting behind still another
$500 note in the uptown contractors
chubby fist, and leaned against the bar, as
he caught his breath.
Pm going to make test case of this, y
he slowly said, as he watched his green
backs and silver disappear into Col.